Perhaps.
Zhao Shuning thought she had said enough.
After all, just the mention of Gu Qingqing was enough to make Gu Hanxun feel miserable.
If knowing this truth could make Gu Hanxun realize how despicable his past actions had been, then Gu Qingqing's death would bring more than just hatred to Gu Hanxun.
The sky.
Slowly darkened.
The palace servants were guarding around the pavilion and didn't dare to move an inch.
Zhao Shuning also quietly accompanied Gu Hanxun.
At night.
The breeze blew gently.
Zhao Shuning couldn't help but sneeze.
Only then did Gu Hanxun look up.
By this time, it was already very late.
They had only had morning tea, and neither lunch nor dinner had been eaten.
"Are you catching a cold?"
"No, it's just that the night wind is a bit cool. Let's go back."
Gu Hanxun said, "Someone, go and prepare dinner first."
"Yes."
Then he turned to Zhao Shuning and said, "You go back first. I want to be alone for a night."
"Okay."
Zhao Shuning walked out of the pavilion by herself. After having dinner.
She had been waiting for Gu Hanxun to come.
She knew that if Gu Hanxun still had a conscience, he would surely come to find her after calming down.
Time passed for a long while.
When Zhao Shuning felt a bit sleepy, there came a knock on the door from outside.
"Come in."
The door was gently pushed open.
It was Gu Hanxun.
It seemed that he had finally learned to show respect.
The palace was vast, and every place belonged to him. But he still knocked on the door when he came here. This was already a good sign.
The palace servants didn't enter the bedroom.
But the bedroom door was closed by Gu Hanxun.
The servants were guarding outside.
"Have you been waiting for a long time?"
Zhao Shuning replied, "Thank you for your trouble."
Gu Hanxun gave a bitter smile.
"It's not a trouble. You are aunt's relative. Doing my best to help you is the last thing I can do for aunt."
Zhao Shuning sat opposite Gu Hanxun.
"Then I'll ask my questions directly if I have any."
"Okay."
Zhao Shuning said, "After I came back, I thought it over and over again. I think there's a very suspicious place. But I don't know if it still exists after all these years?"
Gu Hanxun said, "Just tell me. I'll try my best to find it."
"The An family."
"The An family?"
"It's the An family that was raided for the witchcraft and sorcery more than thirty years ago."
"Don't worry, Ningning. I've also heard about the An family. In the early years, because the people of Cangwu Country all tabooed witchcraft and sorcery, thinking it was something that could bewitch people's minds. So although the An family was raided, no one dared to live in their house. Up to now, the An family's mansion is still empty."
"That's good. Gu Hanxun, if you're free tomorrow, could you grant me an imperial edict? I want to go to the An family's place. During that time, I may need to unseal many things. With the imperial edict, the local government will let me pass, saving a lot of trouble."
"Can I go with you tomorrow?"
Zhao Shuning looked up in surprise.
"You're the king of Cangwu Country. What do you want to go with me for? The state affairs of Cangwu Country are very busy, and it still needs you to be in charge."
"Just for one day. It won't delay much."
Seeing that Zhao Shuning didn't give in.
Gu Hanxun continued, "Don't worry. I definitely won't do anything to you this time. Now, I'm deeply ashamed of my past actions. Besides, if I go with you, it's more useful than you holding an imperial edict or a pass. I just want to make up for it. Okay?"
Zhao Shuning thought for a while.
Finally, she nodded.
The person that Gu Qingqing had taken care of since childhood and the person that her grandfather had carefully cultivated for many years. Zhao Shuning believed that he mustn't be a heartless person.
"Then go to bed early. I'll come to find you when we set off tomorrow."
"Okay."
Seeming afraid that Zhao Shuning would go back on her word.
Gu Hanxun quickly withdrew from Zhao Shuning's room.
He left here in a hurry.
Zhao Shuning lay flat on the bed, still sorting out her thoughts in her mind.
The Frostflower.
Why did it appear in Gu Qingqing's hand?
The earliest historical records.
That Frostflower originated from Cangwu Country.
Judging from the image given by Xia Qingyan before she fell into a coma, when Gu Qingqing died, there was no Frostflower in her hand.
So there were only two possibilities.
One was that the Frostflower grew out of the dead Gu Qingqing's body.
The other possibility was that someone put the Frostflower in her hand after Gu Qingqing's death.
And these two possibilities, considering that the Frostflower was from Cangwu Country, were all related to An Yun.
It had never been heard that a person's body could grow a Frostflower, unless that person's body had mutated.
And Gu Qingqing's body had been devoured by the Golden Silkworm Gu. This possibility was the most bizarre.
Zhao Shuning just thought about it for a moment and then immediately ruled it out.
The growth environment of the Frostflower was indeed mysterious, but it wasn't that abnormal.
The second possibility was that among the people Gu Qingqing had contacted after her death, only An Yun was from Cangwu Country. If we thought about it a little, it wasn't surprising that the mysterious witchcraft and sorcery could cultivate the Frostflower.
All in all.
All the doubts.
Would be revealed tomorrow.
Gu Hanxun was very punctual.
The next day, he came to the place where Zhao Shuning lived. He had already changed into traveling clothes and also brought new clothes for Zhao Shuning.
After Zhao Shuning changed, she went out of the palace with Gu Hanxun.
They went to the local government that was in charge of the An family's place. After explaining the situation to the official, they led some soldiers to unseal the An family's place that had been sealed.
Zhao Shuning was worried that too many people going in might affect her investigation or destroy many clues, so she told those soldiers to go back.
Only Gu Hanxun and she were left.
They pushed open the An family's gate.
The spacious courtyard inside, the exquisite rockeries, and the sparkling lake in the garden came into view at once.
After all these years.
Why wasn't the inside of the An family's place dilapidated?
They walked forward.
Pushing open one room after another.
Zhao Shuning became more and more disappointed.
"Let's search separately. It will be faster this way."
Zhao Shuning nodded.
The two of them searched in opposite directions.
After about two hours, there came a noise from the east wing room.
Hearing this, Zhao Shuning rushed to the east wing room immediately.
Unfortunately, when she arrived, there was nothing unusual in the east wing room. Gu Hanxun's face was a bit pale.
Seeing Zhao Shuning coming.
He quickly said, "Sorry. I accidentally knocked down the books here just now. I've already put them back in order. I'm really sorry to have disturbed you."
Zhao Shuning said, "Gu Hanxun, are you okay? Your face doesn't look good."
"Really? Maybe I didn't sleep well last night. Let's continue looking. It won't be good if we delay the time."
Zhao Shuning nodded.
Walking out of the room.
There came Gu Hanxun's voice from behind.
"Ningning—"
"What's up?"
"Is that Frostflower very important to you?"
Zhao Shuning nodded seriously.
"Very important."